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Polish recommendations for lung ultrasound in internal medicine (POLLUS-IM)

Natalia Buda1, Wojciech Kosiak2, Elżbieta Radzikowska3, Robert Olszewski4,5, Ewa Jassem6, Elżbieta Magdalena Grabczak7, Andrzej Pomiecko8, Jakub Piotrkowski9, Maciej Piskunowicz10, Malwina Sołtysiak7, Szymon Skoczyński11, Grzegorz Jaczewski7, Jolanta Odrowska12, Agnieszka Skoczylas4, Marcin Wełnicki13, Jakub Wiśniewski8, Anna Zamojska14; Polish Committee on Lung Ultrasound (PC-LUS) for POLLUS-IM
Affiliation and address for correspondence
J Ultrason 2018; 18: 198–206
DOI: 10.15557/JoU.2018.0030
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Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to establish recommendations for the use of lung ultrasound in internal medicine, based on reliable data and expert opinions. Methods: The bibliography from the databases (Pubmed, Medline, OVID, Embase) has been fully reviewed up to August 2017. Members of the expert group assessed the credibility of the literature data. Then, in three rounds, a discussion was held on individual recommendations (in accordance with the Delphi procedure) followed by secret voting. Results: Thirty-eight recommendations for the use of lung ultrasound in internal medicine were established as well as discussed and subjected to secret voting in three rounds. The first 31 recommendations concerned the use of ultrasound in the diagnosis of the following conditions: pneumothorax, pulmonary consolidation, pneumonia, atelectasis, pulmonary embolism, malignant neoplastic lesions, interstitial lung lesions, cardiogenic pulmonary edema, interstitial lung diseases with fibrosis, dyspnea, pleural pain and acute cough. Furthermore, seven additional statements were made regarding the technical conditions of lung ultrasound examination and the need for training in the basics of lung ultrasound in a group of doctors during their specialization programs and medical students. The panel of experts established a consensus on all 38 recommendations.

Keywords
lung ultrasound, chest sonography, internal medicine, recommendation